Proposed State Parking Tax Targets Chicago, Unreasonably Burdens Workers
Write your State Representative and Senator, Demand they Oppose a State Parking Tax
Last week, Governor Pritzker released his “Rebuild Illinois” capital plan which proposes a 6-9% state parking tax be added on top of Chicago and Cook County’s already high parking tax rates in order to finance improvements to Illinois’ infrastructure. The addition of these new taxes would result in Chicago drivers paying excessive parking tax rates of between 32-40%.
Teamsters Local 727 strongly opposes this tax hike, which unreasonably burdens workers.
“We already pay some of the highest parking taxes in the nation here in Illinois,” said John Coli, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of Local 727. “Heaping even more taxes onto residents and commuting workers is not the way to fix our infrastructure.”
No other state in the nation currently imposes a direct tax on parking. As such, this proposal would make Illinois the first state to saddle its drivers with such a burden. To make matters worse, since the vast majority of the parking tax revenue in Illinois would come from Chicago, this tax would really be a tax on the residents, workers, and visitors to Chicago.
The impact of a new state parking tax will not only stifle economic development in Chicago, but will also threaten the city’s parking industry—an industry that currently employs nearly 4,000 Local 727 members.
“The math is simple: When workers find it too expensive to commute to the city, businesses move out. When individuals find parking prohibitively expensive, they do their shopping elsewhere. Less employers plus fewer customers means less tax revenue and fewer jobs,” added Coli. “A new state parking tax will stifle economic development in Chicago and hurt workers. We must find a better way.”
With your help, Local 727 can fight this tax.
“Just as we did when the Sugar Tax threatened the jobs of Teamsters in the soda industry,” said Coli, “we must come together once again and say ‘NO’ to this outrageous parking tax. We must stand together and fight for our Brothers and Sisters in the parking industry.”
Local 727 encourages all members to add their voice to this fight by calling or sending a letter to their Illinois State Representative and Illinois State Senator demanding that they oppose a state parking tax. If all Local 727 members call or write their elected officials, this fight can be won and working families can be saved.
To find your State Representative and State Senator, including his or her phone number, email, and mailing address, click here.
CLICK HERE to download a sample letter for mailing or emailing to your elected officials.
Category: Current Events, Politics
